David’s Parlee Chebacco

This week’s bike of the week is David’s Parlee Chebacco, a flat-bar gravel grinder built for the carriage roads of Maine.

Signature has a long and cherished history with Parlee, whose engineering team and construction methodology have been top-notch in the world of carbon fibre bicycle manufacturing for over 20 years. Whether you choose a stock frame or go full custom with their Z-Zero options, you can be sure you are getting a carbon frameset that is world-leading in quality with cutting-edge performance.

David’s Parlee will be his second bike with Signature Cycles, and we couldn’t be happier to have been entrusted to bring to life another dream bicycle for him. David’s first bike with us was the more road-focused, super lightweight S-Works Aethos flat-bar bike, built for cruising around the streets and surrounding areas of Greenwich. But for his next bike, David was looking for something that would handle the rougher terrains around Maine's trails and cycleways.

For this build, David wanted to use components that could handle the rigours of Maine's off-road trail sections with ease and style, so a 1x SRAM XPLR set-up fit the bill perfectly. A 40-tooth chainring up front paired with a 10-44-tooth, 12-speed cassette would therefore give David the ideal range for all his rides.

But it is not just about performance – every aspect of this build has been carefully curated to enhance form and function. A top-of-the-line Chris King wheelset not only ensures reliability and precision but also adds a touch of sophistication to the overall aesthetic. Paired with a custom paint job courtesy of Ron Jones at Pro Bike Design, in the striking Porsche Gentian Green hue, David’s Parlee Chebacco reflects the lush greenery that surrounds Maine's cycleways. Our close relationship with Pro Bike Design means the only limit to your bike's paintwork is your own imagination, with bespoke work often taking our custom bikes to the next level.

Further elevating David's riding experience are the Shimano PD-M8100 DEORE XT SPD pedals, designed to provide stability and control in even the most demanding off-road conditions. The two ARUNDEL Mandible bottle cages, finished in an eye-catching oil slick gloss, serve as practical accessories and stylish accents.

Overall, David’s Parlee Chebacco is another fine example of the amazing work that the American manufacturers are bringing to the bike world. The bike is rugged yet dripping with class, and equally importantly for us, it is a bike that will bring David many smiles for miles, no matter what roads he chooses to ride!